MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

12/17 Winter league update

Austin Bibens-Dirkx gave up one unearned run on six hits over seven innings and struck out five in Zulia’s 9-1 win over Aragua in Dominican Winter League play. With the win, Bibens-Dirkx improved to 6-2, and he has a 2.20 ERA.

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